Silver halide color photographic materials have a multi-layer structure in which a sensitive emulsion layer containing three silver halide emulsion layers is coated on a support. The three silver halide emulsion layers selectively sensitized so that one is sensitive to red light, another is sensitive to green light and is sensitive to blue light. For example, color photographic paper (hereinafter referred to as color paper) has a red-sensitive emulsion layer, a green-sensitive emulsion layer and a blue-sensitive emulsion layer coated generally in order from the outermost layer. Further, intermediate layers such as a color mixing inhibiting layer, an ultraviolet absorbing layer and a protective layer are interposed between the sensitive emulsion layers. Color positive films have a green-sensitive emulsion layer, a red-sensitive emulsion layer and a blue-sensitive layer coated in order from the outermost layer. Color negative films have various layer arrangements. Generally, a blue-sensitive emulsion layer, a green-sensitive emulsion layer and a red-sensitive emulsion in order from the outermost layer are coated. In photographic materials having two or more emulsion layers which have the same color-sensitivity, but are different in sensitivity, however, an emulsion layer having a different color-sensitivity is sometimes arranged between the emulsion layers. A bleachable yellow filter layer or, an intermediate layer, are optionally interposed therebetween and a protective layer is provided as the outermost layer.
In order to form color photographic images, photographic couplers capable of forming three colors of yellow, magenta and cyan are incorporated in the sensitive emulsion layers, and the exposed photographic material is processed with a color developing agent.
The colors formed are desirably clear yellow, magenta and cyan dyes which scarcely cause secondary absorption, in order to form a color photographic image with good color reproducibility.
Dyes formed from 5-pyrazolone magenta couplers widely used to form magenta dyes have a main absorption at about 550 nm and a secondary absorption at about 430 nm, and efforts have been made to solve this problem.
Pyrazoloazole magenta couplers are proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,061,432, 4,540,654, 4,621,046 and 4,500,630, JP-B-47-27411 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), JP-A-60-33552 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), JP-A-60-43659 and Research Disclosure No. 24626.
Further, it is required that the color photographic image formed is well-preserved under various conditions. The image should undergo neither discoloration nor fading even when exposed to light over a long period of time or preserved under high temperature and humidity conditions.
However, magenta couplers have serious problems, in that undeveloped areas cause yellow-staining by light, heat and moisture, and color image are faded by light as compared with yellow couplers and cyan couplers.
The present inventors have proposed spiro-indane compounds described in JP-A-59-118414, phenolic compounds and phenol ether compounds described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,588,679, and 4,735,893 and JP-A-61-282845, metal chelate compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,153, silyl ether compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,297 and hydroxychroman compounds described in JP-A-61-177454 to improve the light resistance of the phyrazoloazole magenta couplers. While these improvements in light resistance have been significant, it is considered that further improvement is necessary.
In particular, the degree of improvement in loss of density in the region of low density is poor as compared with the improvement in loss of density in the region of high density, affecting the color balance among yellow, magenta and cyan colors as the residual dye image is changed. Thus current materials are not considered to be fully satisfying with respect to density change.
Further, JP-A-61-5936, JP-A-61-158329, JP-A-61-158333, JP-A-62-81639, JP-A-62-85247 and JP-A-62-98352 are known as publications correlated to magenta couplers and others.
The present inventors have made studies to further improve the light resistance of the dye image formed from these couplers excellent in spectral absorption characteristics and having good color reproducibility. As a result, the present inventors have found that light resistance can be greatly improved when two specific compounds are used as anti-fading agents.